The traditional marketing model was to get as many eyeballs on your product or service’s message as you possibly can and hope that a percentage of customers purchase. Yellow pages, radio advertising, direct mail, television commercials, magazine ads, etc.. are types of these traditional advertising methods. These conventional types of marketing are no longer effective as many consumers have grown to be blind to the ‘one way’ messaging. The message has been overdone and people no longer trust advertisers. A recent survey discovered that only 14% of individuals trust ads while 76% of individuals trust consumer recommendations. Accordingly, more marketers began seeking alternative ways to connect with potential consumers.
Making money online was originally made popular by utilizing Websites and optimizing those sites through SEO (SEO) techniques. While still a worthwhile strategy, SEO has been updated by Blogging platforms 2.0 strategies, such as social media marketing. Social media marketing is when companies utilize Web 2 2.0 platforms, such as blogs, social media sites (like Facebook, Google+, Foursquare, Twitter, & YouTube) and other emerging online marketing tools. The advantage of blogging platforms 2.0 platforms versus traditional means of advertising, and even traditional website marketing, is that it involves ‘two-way communication’, where users are empowered to create content and companies are incentivized to talk to their customers.
The times of broadcasting your product or services message out to the masses and longing for a response have died. People don’t want to obtain nameless, faceless companies. Not only are consumers watching the ‘man behind the curtain’, however they also want to know what others are saying about your product or service. A recent study concluded that 80% folks Internet using moms were influenced by word-of-mouth from friends and family when coming up with a purchase decision. No other media platform allows for small businesses to benefit from consumer person to person advertising like social media marketing.
Personal Development Of SOCIAL MEDIA
Increased New Customer Acquisitions – The main advantage of social media marketing is that you’ll have the opportunity to connect with networks of potential customers that you would otherwise struggle to come across utilizing other traditional marketing techniques and also SEO.
Word of Mouth Marketing- Word of mouth marketing has always been the most influential way to generate sales. With social media, you are able to create raving fans who will voluntarily promote your product and services to their networks of friends. Needless to say, if your product or service is poor, you may suffer the reverse great things about this.
Brand Awareness – Branding your business using social media marketing is a lot simpler, faster, and less costly to achieve than the traditional advertising medium as well as website marketing.
Customer Retention – Web 2 2.0 platforms will be the perfect places to communicate with your customers about new products, special promotions, or just to educate them on your own business. Through consistent, FREE communication, you can keep your company before your customer’s eyeballs that may in turn lead to repeat business and referrals. Remember, the key to this type of communication is usually to be content rich; don’t use these avenues to pitch your product or service.
Rapid Results – The effective and successful implementation of a social media plan will create almost immediate results for your business. This increase can be quantified through increased site traffic, increased lead acquisition, and ultimately more sales. Unlike radio or TV ads, where your customers disappear once the ads set off air, these blogging platforms 2.0 platform benefits will continue long-term given that the communication and updating of your social media presence is maintained.